More about Rogue's Past

Over the last week we have noticed a few things with Rogue that gives us some indication of her past.  Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like it was a good past.

We've allowed Rogue on the couch with us.  This was only going to happen once she was fully housebroke.  She's not there yet, but we decided we couldn't hold back any longer.  Of course, within a day of allowing this new privilege, we had two accidents in the house after going days without one...

In any event, when Rogue was on the couch with us, she was worse then my son Alex, who is the worlds biggest "squirmmer".  She was climbing all over us, laying everywhere.  It was fun, she is definitely a loving dog!

At one point I was trying to move her and I started to move her back legs when she nipped...very rare for her.  She immediately knew what she did was wrong, but instead of saying No, I decided to see what would happen if I did it again...same thing.  I suspect that something in her past happened and that surprise touching of her back legs is not something she likes.

A few other things we have noticed...

When she is scared, she hides.  She will climb behind the couch or under a chair outside.  She certainly has learned to love her crate and I suspect she really needs a safe calming place like her crate, more then other dogs.

Yesterday, when getting the mail, I also grabbed the Buyers Guide out of the paper box and was walking into the house.  I rolled the paper up as I carried it and as soon as Rogue saw that, she laid down in a very submissive way and wouldn't move.  I tossed the paper in the trash can and she was fine.

So, we know Rogue spent an unknown amount of time in a Clark County ditch in the hottest days of July, caring for 3 new born pups as a stray dog.

Clark County has over half of the estimated puppy mills in the state.

I suspect that Rogue may have escaped from her former home, possibly a puppy mill (since she appears to be part Jack Russell and Lab, two very popular dogs that you would expect to be present in a puppy mill).  I have no doubt she was abused.  Probably by hitting with a news paper.

I also suspect that she was either dragged by the rear legs, or maybe had some interaction with another animal while a stray to cause her to dislike touching of her rear legs.

These are the things you really need to spend time thinking about with a rescue.  Nothing that I have listed here is major.  Everything can be trained or reverse trained.  While training can have tough moments, Rogue loves praise as a reward and I think that the more of that she gets the less these quirks will show.

Tomorrow I will post an update on Rogue's ears, which where badly bitten while she was homeless.  It will be a good update!

Until then, Zak George has a great video on working with a nervous dog.